Are data and digital content covered by contents insurance in Germany?
In short
Data and digital content are not covered by basic contents insurance (Hausratversicherung) in Germany. The model conditions expressly exclude electronically stored data and programs. What is covered is the device, such as your laptop after a fire or burglary. Data recovery costs are only paid by an add-on, often limited to EUR 500 to 2,500 per claim.
Data recovery limits from published German contents tariffs and the cost of a lab recovery.
Example
Typical range
Data recovery costs in an older contents tariff
up to EUR 500 per claim
Data recovery costs in a premium tariff
up to EUR 1,000 per claim
Data recovery costs in a newer online tariff
up to EUR 2,500 per claim
Hard drive recovery after a logical fault, professional service
about USD 100 to 400
Hard drive recovery after physical damage, global average
about USD 400 to 2,000 and more
Tariff limits from the policy conditions and benefit overviews listed,
lab prices from a software provider's cost overview in US dollars.
For Western Europe the same overview gives higher figures for physical damage.
The extra premium for the add-on is a guide value from our quoting practice.
Worked example
Water damage in the study, photo archive only on one hard drive
A pipe bursts and water runs over the desk and the external hard drive. There is no backup. This is how the claim works out with and without the add-on.
New hard drive, basic cover
about EUR 150
Lab recovery after water damage
about EUR 1,200
Data recovery limit in the tariff
EUR 1,000
Your share of the recovery
about EUR 200
With the add-on you pay about EUR 200 yourself, without it the full EUR 1,200. With a backup outside your home, no recovery would have been needed.
Why basic cover does not include your data
Contents insurance replaces physical items. The model conditions of the German insurance association (GDV), the VHB 2022, expressly exclude electronically stored data and programs in section A 9.1.7. The cost of technically recovering private data is only covered if this has been agreed in addition.
So if your flat burns out, you get the replacement value for your laptop, phone and external hard drive. The photos of the last ten years that were only stored there are not replaced by basic cover.
What a data recovery add-on pays
The GDV has published a model clause for this. It covers the necessary cost of technically recovering data and programs if they were lost because the storage device was damaged in an insured event. A recovery attempt that fails is also paid.
The limit is set in the tariff. Published benefit overviews show, for example, EUR 500, EUR 1,000 or EUR 2,500 per claim. Some tariffs also cover legally bought downloads up to a separate limit.
Event
Basic cover
With data recovery add-on
Laptop burns in a flat fire
device at replacement value
device and data recovery up to the limit
Hard drive ruined by a burst pipe
device at replacement value
device and data recovery up to the limit
Laptop stolen in a burglary
device at replacement value
no recovery possible, the data left with the device
Virus or ransomware encrypts files
nothing
usually nothing, as the storage device is not damaged
Hard drive fails through age
nothing
nothing, as there is no insured event
Where the add-on stops
The model clause does not pay for data you keep on a backup or installation medium, and not for buying licences again. Data you are not entitled to use is excluded as well.
Bought e-books, films, music or games are usually tied to your account with the provider. If the device is lost, you can normally download them again. A loss only arises if the account itself is lost, for example through an attack. Contents insurance is not made for that, a cyber policy is the closer fit.
When you do not need the add-on
If you back up your data regularly to the cloud or to a drive kept outside your home, the add-on brings little. After a fire or water damage at home, the second copy is untouched.
It makes sense if important data is only stored on devices at home, such as a photo archive on a network drive. Your own backup is still the more reliable protection, as a recovery does not always succeed.
Step by step
Search your policy conditions for data recovery (Datenrettung) or recovery of data.
Note the limit per claim and compare it with the value of your data.
Check which data is only stored on devices at home.
Set up a second backup outside your home.
After damage, do not open the device yourself and ask the insurer before ordering a lab recovery.
Checklist
Data recovery add-on in the policy if data is only stored at home
Limit per claim that matches a lab recovery
Second backup in the cloud or away from home
Receipts for laptop, camera and hard drives
Login details for accounts with bought content kept in a safe place
Common mistakes
Assuming the files are replaced along with the laptop
Opening a damaged hard drive yourself and making recovery harder
Reporting a virus infection to your contents insurer
Keeping the only backup in the same room as the computer
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Are bought e-books, music and games covered?
Not as items.
After damage to a device you can usually download them again from your account.
Some tariffs cover legally bought downloads with a separate limit.
Does contents insurance pay after a virus?
Normally not.
Without fire, water or burglary there is no insured event and no damage to the storage device.
Is my laptop covered by contents insurance?
Yes, as an item at replacement value,
if it is destroyed or stolen through an insured risk such as fire, burglary or a burst pipe.
What does data recovery cost?
For a logical fault often a few hundred, for physical damage to the drive quickly over a thousand,
depending on device and lab.
Does a cyber policy help with data?
For attacks on accounts and devices more than contents insurance.
What it pays depends on its conditions.
Is data in the cloud affected if my flat burns?
No.
It is not stored in your flat and stays intact, you only need to replace the device.
